Outlaw
by Cyberweasel89
Summary: Years after Pirate King Luffy's execution, a young Minkman hopes to find the Strawhat's legendary treasure. This is her story, told from the eyes of her navigator, running on borrowed time just like her. NotFirstPerson MForLimeLater SubmitYourCharacters
1. Note: Submissions

I do not own One Piece. One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda.

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This is another one of those "submit your character" stories. But this one will be different. At least, I shall try to make it different.

Here are the guidelines. Unspecified time after Luffy becomes Pirate King and is executed. Your characters cannot be related in any way to canon characters, nor can they have Devil Fruit powers belonging to canon characters. Only original characters with original Devil Fruit powers (or other abilities) will be allowed.

Here are the positions currently open:

**Captain:** Taken

**First Mate:** Taken

**Navigator:** Taken

**Helmsman:** Open

**Cook:** Open

**Doctor:** Open

**Gunner/Marksman/Sniper:** Taken

**Lookout:** Open

**Rigger:** Open

**Shipwright:** Open

**Blacksmith:** Open

**Tailor:** Open

**Scholar:** Open

**Chronicler:** Open

**Quartermaster:** Open

**Merchant:** Open

**Musician:** Open

**Cabin Boy:** Open

**Cabin Girl:** Open

**Pet:** Taken

That's twenty positions, five of them taken at the very start. That's fifteen slots open, to be filled out over the course of the story. The open slots are subject to change, as I will alter this chapter whenever one is taken.

If you have a character to submit, please fill out the following profile:

**Submitter:** Your username, or at least the name you want me to give credit to.

**Name:** The character's full name. Remember that surname goes first and given name goes second. But characters don't necessarily need a surname in One Piece.

**Epithet:** The character's pirate title or nickname.

**Sex:** Self-explanatory.

**Age:** Self-explanatory. Remember that giants live to be about three hundred.

**Race:** Only canon races. This means: Humans, Giants, Fishmen, Mermaids, Dwarves, Skypieans, Bilkans, Shandians, Longarm Tribesmen, Longleg Tribesmen, and Snakeneck Tribesmen. No Minkmen. If Fishman or Mermaid, state what kind of fish they're modeled after.

**Position:** Their role on the crew, from the list above.

**Weapons:** Any weapons they wield in combat. Describe them in detail and be sure to mention where your character keeps them when not wielding them (such as sheathed at the hip or back).

**Fighting Style:** How your character fights. Closely related to their Devil Fruit, abilities, and the weapon they wield.

**Devil Fruit:** The name of the Devil Fruit they have, if any, as well as the meaning of that name. Be sure to use a Japanese name. If you need help with a Japanese name, speak to me.

**Powers:** The power of the Devil Fruit they've eaten. Only applies if they've eaten one.

**Abilities:** Non-Devil Fruit related abilities, such as Super-Human Strength, Super-Human Speed, Mantra, Rokushiki, Seimei Kikan, Haki, and Fishman abilities, go here. Be sure to describe how your character uses them, in what way, and how good they are at it.

**Skills:** Any natural skills, be they learned or through talent. This includes things like cooking, medical skills, drawing, etc.

**Weaknesses:** Any weaknesses they might have, both tangible and intangible.

**Appearance:** Describe them in detail, or supply a picture and I will describe them in the story. If you describe them, be sure to mention skin color, eye color, hair color, hair style, build (height, weight (no need for exact number, just a simple very light, light, average, heavy, very heavy, etc.), curves (breast size, rear, waist, etc.), muscles, etc.), and the clothes they typically wear (they will probably change clothes during the story at several points, so give me an idea of what to choose). Details for mermaids, such as scale and fin color, and fish appendages for fishmen, should also be listed here.

**Personality:** Your character's personality. Summarize it in a few words for easy reference, but also give a detailed description for clarity. What helps is to mention how your character would react to common situations.

**History:** Be detailed. Start from birth to roughly where they are now. But give me room to incorporate them into the story.

**Romance:** State whether you want your character to be open for a romantic relationship or not. There won't be too terribly much of it in the story, considering One Piece's nakama and family theme, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. If you're okay with your character in a relationship, state what kind and whether you have a specific character in mind or not.

**Other:** Anything else you'd like to mention.

Even if your character is not accepted into the crew, they may be used elsewhere in the story. You can submit multiple characters, but there's no guarantee that all of them will be accepted into the crew.

Also feel free to submit locations and plot ideas, as well. I'll be sure to credit all used submissions.

Submit your characters, locations, ideas, etc. to Cyberweasel89 at yahoo dot com.

Okay. Now, on to the first chapter.


	2. Prologue: Allegretto

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. One Piece was created by Eiichirou Oda.

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Summary: Years after Pirate King Luffy's execution, a young Minkman named Natsue hopes to find the Strawhat's legendary treasure. Joined by a mysterious Bilkan first mate and a diverse yet bizarre crew, she hopes to be able to make it to the end of the Grand Line before her borrowed time runs out. Told from the perspective of her navigator. (but not first-person)

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Rated M for swearing, violence (blood and whatnot), adult situations (I have a perverted sense of humor), and some light lime (but that won't come in till far later, and I'll warn you).

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One Piece: Outlaw

By Cyberweasel89 and Cosmos Eternal Team

Prologue: Allegretto

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"Well, here it is! Outset Island!"

"..."

"Arentcha excited to be here?"

"......"

"Hello? Hulloo?"

"........."

"Hey, Shadster! Wake up! Speak to me!"

"Do not call me Shadster."

"C'mon, it's just a nickname!"

"You will refer to me by the name I have given you, just as I shall refer to you by your name, Captain Bronwen."

"Hey, don't be so formal! It's Natsue. Say it with me. Nat-su-e!"

"As your first mate, I will refer to you as Captain Bronwen out of respect."

"Awww... ya respect me?"

"No, Captain Bronwen. It is just a formality. A custom."

"Aw... You're so mean, Shadster!"

"My name is not Shadster. And do not pout. It is unbefitting of the one in charge of our group."

"Whatever. Hey, Baniaz, ya seen Fluffers?"

"......"

"Gotcha. Thanks, Baniaz."

"Got what? He did not even speak."

"Ya wouldn't understand it, Shadster. Me and Baniaz got an understandin' of each other."

"If you say so, Captain..."

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My name is Frost Zeke. Human. Male. Sixteen years old. I am a navigator. One of the best. Where I come from is of no importance, but where I am going is of great importance. The destination is key, as I am running on borrowed time. I have only a set amount of time to fulfill my dream, a dream that to me means more than my life. What I'm about to tell you is the story of how I met the woman who would alter the way I saw the world. The woman who would be my leader, friend, ally, partner, and above all, the woman who would be my nakama. The woman who, much like myself, was also running on borrowed time. The woman who changed me from a simple navigator and the biggest wimp in the world... into a pirate.

No... More than a pirate, really. She made me...

An Outlaw.

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"Hey there, Loverboy."

Zeke cringed as he took a seat at the bar. The woman behind the counter was tall, long black hair and red eyes, pale, garbed in a long white and blue skirt with a matching corset. Like a stereotypical bartender, she was polishing a mug with a rag. It always made Zeke inwardly snicker when he saw such a beautiful woman cleaning an ale-soaked mug with a dirty rag.

"Hey, Hallow. And why are you still calling me loverboy?"

The woman gave her signature enigmatic smile. "Well, so far, you're the only man to have been in this bar and not hit on me."

Zeke just gave a small smile. "I see. Irony, eh?"

The bartender grinned. "Yep! So what can I get for you today?"

Zeke brought his gloved finger to his mouth in thought. "Um... The usual."

Hallow signed in mock exasperation. "Milk again? You still can't handle booze?"

The boy just grinned. "What can I say? I'm a lightweight!"

After a few chuckles among each other, the statuesque woman set to work preparing his milk in the special glass she reserved just for him.

Zeke spun around on his stool to rest his elbows on the counter and gaze around at the place. Hallowed Ground, it was called. A pun on the owner's name. A fairly small pub, but pretty popular among the men of the port town of Outset Island. Built with pale wood walls and floors to match the rest of the buildings of the tiny port town, lightly lacquered tables and chairs, stools around the bar counter, and shelves on the wall behind the counter fully stocked with everything a tavern needed. It was a welcoming place, with a homey feel to it. An atmosphere that would put even the wildest beast at ease. In the month he had spent in this town, he had come to call this place home. Every day, he left his inn room and headed for Hallowed Ground, the tavern with the good milk and the beautiful, raven-haired bartender. The place was pretty empty about now. It was the morning, so most of the sailors were out at the docks. Only a few people populated the tables right now. And he was the only one at the counter.

"Here's your drink, Loverboy." Zeke spun around to grab the mug of frothy white cow elixir, thanking the beautiful bartender. "Just be careful, loverboy. Too much of that milk and you'll die of calcium poisoning, or somethin'."

Zeke just laughed and was about to respond with what he hoped was an amusing joke, but a crash over by the door interrupted him.

"What are you three doing here?!"

Zeke set the mug down to turn and look at the door. The double doors had been thrown open, and three people were standing there. A muscled man with a bald head, countless piercings, numerous tattoos on his shirtless body, and a cutlass strapped to his hip. The wings on his back either meant he was a Skypiean, a Bilkan, or a Shandian, but Zeke couldn't place which. To his left was a woman with long white hair, dressed in a heavy winter coat and snow boots, flintlocks strapped to her hips. To his right was a man even more massive than he himself, having had to have bent over to fit through the door. His skin was curiously dark green, but with a white lower jaw and chest, the latter visible through the only partially buttoned shirt straining to contain his muscles. Slits near the bottom of his neck, and the fish fins on the sides and top of his head clearly marked him as a Fishman.

The man in front stepped forward, clearly the leader. "Well, after you turned us away last time, we figured we'd stop by and see if Zeke was here yet."

The boy stood up pointing to himself. "You want to see me?" He didn't miss Hallow smacking her forehead. The man stepped forward, his two partners scattering to lean against the walls. The girl leaned against the wall across from the bar, while the Fishman went and stood in front of the stairs to the second floor.

"You're Zeke, huh?" the man asked, a sly smile on his face. He seemed... slippery.

"Yeah. I'm Zeke. Why? Do you need something from me?"

The man just grinned, reaching up to finger his mustache. "Yep! We heard you have a Log Pose."

"Uh... Yeah, I do..." the boy replied, though he was starting to feel nervous under the man's gaze.

"Mind givin' it to us?"

The boy took a small step back, visibly sweating. "Uh..."

A clicking sound drew everyone's attention to Hallow, who had pulled a flintlock rifle out from beneath the bar.

"Hallow? What-"

"Shut up, Zeke. These people are pirates. They want your Log Pose, and they're willing to kill for it. When I wouldn't tell them where you were yesterday, they gave me this." The bartender lifted her skirt and placed her shapely leg on the counter to reveal the bloody bandages covering it. Zeke stared in horror for a moment, brain hastily trying to work a way out of this. He had to run... But could he really leave Miss Hallow?

"Ah, the little girl wants to defend her customer again?"

Despite the size of the man, Hallow stood tall, not even trembling or sweating as she held the gun up, aimed directly at the man's head

"H-Hang on..."

Hallow paused, lowering the gun to look at Zeke.

"Th-This is m-my fight, Miss Hallow…" the boy stuttered, his legs shaking. The boy held out his hand toward Hallow, who only stared, her crimson eyes heavy with worry. But Zeke just managed a small smile. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." he barely whispered. "Now please, give it to me. I gave it to you for safe keeping for a reason."

The beautiful bartender just sighed, reaching beneath the bar and muttering to herself. "You better come out alive, Loverboy." When she emerged, she tossed a silver pole to the boy, just short of the length of his body. Zeke held it up straight with one hand and tapped the end on the ground a few times, as if to test it. Smiling with satisfaction, he bent his knees and lowered into a very awkward fighting stance, his pole held in front of him and tilted, both hands holding different sides of it.

"Oh, so the kid thinks he can fight? Ha! That's not a sword, kid. Well, I best oblige you." The Fishman and woman stepped forward, but the leader held up a hand to stop them. "No. Hang on. I can handle this wimp. Besides, I leave these things to you two way too often." The pirate pulled the cutlass out from his belt and slashed the air with a figure eight motion, as if testing his own weapon. "Go ahead, kid. Come at me." He challenged, standing up tall and seemingly relaxed.

Zeke gripped his weapon tightly. With a cry, he ran forward, his pole held above his head. He brought it down on the pirate, striking him in the chest. To say that the boy was startled when the pirate didn't even flinch would be an understatement.

"Heh. Nice try, kid. Now it's my turn." Hallow gasped as the pirate's sword stuck out of Zeke's back, having been stabbed right in his chest and likely gone through his heart. Zeke coughed, bending over and clutching at the sword that was lodged in his chest. After staggering for a few moments, he fell to the ground, rolling onto his back. He wasn't moving.

"Loverboy! Zeke, wake up!" Hallow jumped over the bar counter and kneeled at the boy's side, patting him on the cheek.

"Heh! He went down easy! All that build up, and he couldn't even put a scratch on me!" The pirate laughed loudly, the woman and fishman who had entered with him chuckling in unison. The pirate stepped forward and put his foot on Zeke's stomach, yanking his sword out. His eyes widened when he saw the dry brown substance covering it. "Ugh! I can't believe it! That kid shit himself! He was more of a wimp than I thought!"

"Boss... Crap don't come from a guy's chest. And why ain't there any blood on it? Ya stabbed 'is heart, didn't ya?"

Hallow realized that the pirate's female crewmate was right. There wasn't even any blood on the floor, or staining Zeke's shirt. The beautiful bartender reached for the boy's chest and stuck her finger through the cut in his shirt. She felt something dry and soft! When she pulled her finger back, she was surprised to find the same brown stuff on her finger that was covering the sword. She stuck her finger in her mouth, and was quite surprised at what she discovered.

"Dirt!"

The pirate perked, turning to look down at the boy and the beautiful bartender. Before his head could move fast enough, Zeke hopped to his feet, his pole in his hand. Brown rocks spread out from his hands and coated the metal pole, an extra piece of rock attached to the end to form a large, round rock sphere on the end of the reconfigured weapon. With a wild swing, the boy struck the pirate in the crotch with the sphere on the end of the rock weapon. His body visibly shook. Zeke jumped backwards to gather some distance, visibly breathing heavy.

The pirate only reached down and rubbed at his crotch disgustingly. "Hey, that was pretty good, kid. I actually felt that. Now… How the hell did you avoid my sword with dirt?"

Zeke didn't answer. He only paled at how his attack seemingly did little.

"Hey, Boss." The fishman called from the stairs.

"Yeah, Base?"

"He ate a Devil Fruit. If he turned into dirt to avoid your attack, he must have eaten a Logia. Looks like some kind of dirt and rock Logia."

"Shit, you're right!"

"Think we should pull back, Boss? I mean, a Devil Fruit is one thing, but a Logia..."

Hallow looked to Zeke in shock. "Loverboy... You ate a Devil Fruit?"

The pirate leader responded to his Fishman ally before Zeke could work up the nerve to respond. "Nah, it's alright, Base. I can handle this guy." The large pirate explained calmly. He turned to the woman in the winter jacket. "Yo! Snowy! Hostage time. I think you know who."

The woman only smirked, calmly stepping over to where Hallow kneeled on the floor. Grabbing her arm, the woman forced the beautiful bartender to her feet, pulling out a flintlock and aiming it at her head.

"Here the deal, kid." she warned. "My Boss gonna beat ya to a bloody pulp. You try turnin' inta dirt ta avoid it, I'll blow yer girlfriend's head off. Choice is yers."

Zeke's brain rushed through all the options to see if there was any way out of this... No. He saw none. The boy dropped his pole and sunk down to the floor.

"Smart kid. Now stand still so I can end this."

The boy could only let tears fall from his face as the large pirate loomed over him. It only dawned on him then that once they killed him and took his Log Pose, they would just kill Hallow soon afterwards. He was a weakling. A failure. A-

"Hey, why didn't anyone call us to this party?"

Everyone, the pirates, the beautiful bartender, and Zeke, all turned to the door, where four people stood. Or, rather, three people and one animal.

A woman stood in front. As Zeke was on the floor, he saw her from the bottom up. On her feet were worn leather boots, such a dark brown that they were almost black. Her faded blue jeans, which covered her meaty and muscled thighs and knees, but ended just below the knee with tattered ends, were low-riding, the waistband beginning just above her thighs and below the top of her hips. Coming out from these jeans were two red thong straps, each tightly hugging one hip.

As shocked as Zeke was to see the tail swishing back and forth behind her ass, covered in light brown fur, he was even more shocked when he looked up. On her chest were quite possibly the largest breasts he had ever seen, quite comparable to the fronts of blimps. They were covered by a black tank top. The tank top wasn't especially low cut, but it was cut low enough to reveal some pretty deep cleavage. It didn't fall very far, revealing her midriff and navel. Despite how fit her legs were, her stomach showed no sign of ab muscles, still perfectly flat.

Over the black tanktop was a dirty beige jacket, left open and hanging down to just below her surprisingly flat ass. I mean, after the size of her tits, Zeke would have expected a larger ass and wider hips. It kind of made her look a little unbalanced... Meh. The bottom end of the jacket was tattered and torn, while the sleeves were in surprisingly good shape, baggy and rolled up to her elbows. Her forearms, though slender, were very fit. Zeke could see that there were some hidden muscles in those forearms that would probably show up if she got serious. Her hands were covered with medium brown cloth gloves. Though in good shape, they were very dirty. The wrists of the gloves were tattered, tied to her wrist with very filthy pieces of string, tied in a tight knot.

Her face was... well, she definitely wasn't beautiful. Her face was rough, with flat cheeks and noticeable eyebrows, as opposed to the thin lines on most makeup-wearing women. Her eyes were a pale blue that seemed almost gray, and they definitely weren't striking, or anything. Her hair was dark brown and quite a mess. It was parted in the center of her head, growing out and falling down to just between her ears and neck, becoming spiky at the end. Her hair was very messy, with the occasional spike sticking out here and there. It was clear she had never brushed her hair before in her life. Wrapped around her forehead was a white headband that was surprisingly clean compared to the rest of her clothing, tied behind her head with extra white cloth sticking out from the knot. The front of the headband had a large red circle on it, with one character on either side of it, both of them different characters. Zeke couldn't make out what they said at this distance.

Now that Zeke could take a look at her entire body, he could see that she was no older than 19, of about medium height, possibly between 5'6" and 5'9". Skinny but fit and muscled. Huge breasts, but surprisingly narrow hips and small ass. She was pale, but a healthy pale. Her skin was more of a light peach tone. In addition to her clothing, she had some dirt caked onto her skin, too. But Zeke noticed something he hadn't noticed before: She was covered in a few scars. Not grotesque scars, really. More like small, thin cuts here and there. But namely, her shins and calves had a few scars, her forearms had a few scars, her midriff had a few scars, but there were surprisingly no scars on her face. However, she did have three black lines on each cheek, markings similar to whiskers.

He didn't notice it before, but she had weapons on her: One flintlock pistol was strapped to each hip, with a very large sword strapped to her back. Rather than a scabbard, it was wrapped in bandages, hanging from her back with a buckle strapping it there. It looked to be double-edged, with a really long blade, probably longer than the woman's actual body. It got slightly wider as it traveled away from the hilt, until it eventually curved just a bit, then ended not in a point, but a flat end. The hilt was katana-style, despite the double-edged blade. It had a beige tsuba, with a hilt wrapped in red string. Three red strings with tassels on the end hung from the end of the hilt, though they were short and likely just decorative. Even wrapped in bandages and with his limited weapon knowledge, he could tell that the sword was quite a masterpiece. But more curiously, Zeke had to wonder why this woman had a tail. Wait... A tail and whisker marks? That sounded familiar...

Standing to her right and slightly behind her was a man that really just scared the hell out of Zeke. He looked about 25, but mature well beyond his years. He stood at a tall 6'3", slim and dressed in dark colors. Strangely, his body was completely covered, not a bit of skin to be seen. His feet were clad in black sneakers, a bit worn and torn with age. His legs were clad in dark blue cargo jeans that weren't especially baggy, but thick and covered with numerous pockets. On his upper body was a dark blue turtleneck that seemed to fit well around his thin form. Over the turtleneck was a long black trench coat that hung down just past his rear, the sleeves pulled all the way to his wrists, where the sleeves of the turtleneck could be seen just under them. The coat was covered in pockets, but Zeke could only begin to wonder what was inside them. On his hands, he wore a thin pair of black denim gloves. On his back were the wings that signified he was one of the sky races, but whether he was a Skypiean, Bilkan, or Shandian, Zeke couldn't tell. He wasn't able to distinguish between the three races when the only way to tell were the subtle differences in the wings.

His face was the only part of his body that was uncovered. He was incredibly pale, almost sickly so, with an angular face and hollowed cheeks. His mouth was drawn in a dissatisfied, very small frown. He wore glasses with thick black, oval-shaped frames, but instead of making him look nerdy or bookish, only made him look professional. The glasses seemed to oddly reflect light, despite how much was actually shining on them. While at first hard to notice due to the glasses slightly hiding it, there was a thick, partially curved scar going diagonally from above his right eye, across the bridge of his nose, and down to a bit above the right side of his mouth. His hair was an oak brown, cut short in a generic boy's haircut, but shaggy with the ends hanging down to just below his ears at the tips, the occasional loose strand of hair sticking outward in the direction his hair was combed. Compared to the woman he stood next to, his hair was much more neat and clean. His hairstyle was arranged to where, at the right angle, his bangs covered his right eye. But if one simply looked at him from another angle, his right eye was clearly visible. His eyes were a shade of ocean blue, but held a dull, emotionless glare that made him look intimidating and somewhat sinister. If not for the glare, his eyes might've actually looked tranquil.

Around his forehead was a black headband that, aside from the forehead, was covered by his hair, with no knot to tie it visible, suggesting it was more of a sweatband, but not made of the same material. In his right hand, he held what looked to be a black violin case, suggesting to Zeke that he was a musician. But surely no one as intense and intimidating as him could be a musician, especially one who plays the violin. Right? Overall, the man was quite terrifying to Zeke, what with the aura of hatred he emitted that just screamed 'fuck off'.

To the young woman's left was a large man that stood at roughly the height of the other man. Zeke could tell he was a Fishman. A rare clam Fishman, to be precise. His skin was completely white, with some bits of black here and there, much like the shell of a clam. Even more like the shell of a clam, some faint groove lines could be seen going up and down his torso, and up and down the length of his arms. He was incredibly muscled, shirtless and standing there with his arms crossed over his pectorals. He wore a pair of black jeans on his legs, along with black leather boots. His lower body actually looked kind of small compared to his muscled upper body. On his wrists were metal shackles with a few links of chain hanging from them, leading Zeke to wonder if he was ever imprisoned. Hanging from his back with a hard leather strap that went across his chest was what could only be a cannon, likely wielded with the Fishman's signature strength. But Zeke didn't see any cannonballs, so he had to wonder what the Fishman loaded the cannon with.

His head was quite unusual. It looked like a clam, opening almost the circumference of his head save for the back. But there was a raised part just a bit behind the front of his mouth that supported his pink-iris eyes, which were narrowed in seriousness, but had an odd peaceful look to them. A boonie hat rested on the Fishman's head, unpatterned and in a muggy gray color, with the string hanging just below his chin. Zeke had trouble judging the ages of Fishmen, but judging from the mature presence this one carried, he was probably in his late twenties, possibly close to hitting thirty. Yeah, twenty-eight or twenty-nine would be Zeke's best guess if he judged by the way the Fishman carried himself.

And finally, finishing the quartet, was a cat. A fully-grown, white-furred, blue-eyed cat that sat at the woman's feet, wearing a blue collar with a silver tag, and with bandages wrapped around the end of its tail. One of its whiskers was bent downward, giving it a look like it had been through a lot of shit in its life. It seemed a bit larger than most male adult cats, though...

"Who the hell are you? No one said you could come to this party!" the leader of the pirate trio bellowed.

The young woman at the door just smiled, a cross between a smirk and a grin gracing her face."So, it really is a party! Then why didn't ya invite us? We love parties, right Shadster?"

"My name is not Shadster." The man with the glasses said seriously, sounding not at all amused.

"Look, kid. Just get outta here. This isn't any of your business." The pirate pointed out, shooing them away with a motion of his hand from across the room.

The young woman looked at the people in the bar. Her eyes passed from the bartender, Zeke, and the three pirates one by one. Her eyes returning to the leader, and she plainly asked "And what exactly isn't any of my business?"

"Look, we need this kid's Log Pose. Now leave before I make you."

The young woman turned her head to partially face the Fishman. "Hey, Baniaz. That kid's got a Log Pose! He must be Zeke! We've been lookin' for Zeke with his Log Pose, haven't we?"

The Fishman merely nodded, not saying a word and not changing his serious expression.

"Really? And who are you?" the pirate leader asked with a tone filled with condescension.

The young woman grinned. "Oh, we're no one. We're no one." She dismissed. "I'm just a pirate captain, and this is my crew."

The pirate laughed loudly. "Really? A pirate captain? And you think you can beat me and my crew with just your first mate and musician? That's real funny!"

The young woman just grinned, her tail swishing back and forth. "Huh? Lemme think..." she put her finger to her mouth in mock thought. "I don't think I ever said Baniaz was my First Mate. And I don't think I ever said Shadster was my musician."

Before the pirate leader could answer, a bang was heard, and the winter coat-wearing woman holding the flintlock to the beautiful bartender's head fell to the ground, a bullet fired straight through her head.

"What? A sniper? Where?!" the pirate leader exclaimed.

The young woman just chuckled lightly. "Don't worry. I only told Shadster to take out the one holding the bartender hostage. I told him to leave you and your buddy to me and Baniaz."

The pirate leader whirled around to look for the glasses-wearing man that was there when the young woman and her group had walked in. Shit! He must have slipped out at some point when they were talking!

The clam Fishman stepped forward, his arms still crossed and his expression unchanging.

"Oh, ya wanna have a go first, Baniaz? Heh! Ya know, ya aren't actually my bodyguard."

The clam Fishman said nothing, instead pulling the cannon off his back and pointing it at the leader.

"No, don't Baniaz. Take out the Fishman. I want the leader to myself."

The clam Fishman merely nodded. But the Fishman over by the stairs just laughed.

"Hah! You don't even have any ammunition for that cannon! Do you seriously think you can take out a mighty sea bass Fishman by whacking him with a cannon? Don't make me laugh!"

Instead of responding, the clam Fishman began making soft, squishing sounds from his mouth. Zeke, Hallow, and the two pirates stood in intrigue, wondering what this cannon-wielding Fishman was planning to do. With the hand not holding up the cannon, the Fishman reached into his mouth and pulled out... a pearl! A large pearl just big enough to be used as a cannonball for the cannon! The  
Fishman stuffed the pearl into the cannon and reached back to pull the string. The sea bass Fishman could only stare stupidly. The clam Fishman pulled the string, a loud bang filling the entire tavern. Next thing anyone knew, the pearl had struck the sea bass Fishman square in the gut, sending him flying out a window, the glass practically exploding from the impact. The pirate leader stared in awe at what happened, feeling slightly afraid for his own safety.

"Good job, Baniaz. Now leave the leader to me."

The clam Fishman silently stepped back over to the door, while the young woman stepped forward, cracking her knuckles and stretching her arms and legs. The pirate leader felt relieved. He could handle this girl. Unless she was a Devil Fruit user...

"Hey, kid!"

"Bronwen Natsue."

"Huh?"

"That's my name. It's customary for warriors to know the names of who they're fighting."

"Yeah, whatever. Like I'd tell you my name. Anyway, kid-"

"Natsue. Bronwen Natsue."

"Whatever. You a Devil Fruit user?"

Natsue replied in a bored manner. "Nah. Not really. Devil Fruits complicate things too much. I like to keep things simple."

The pirate leader breathed a sigh of relief. Yep, he could definitely take her. However, after what she had her crew due to his crew, he best end it quick. He reached into his pockets and pulled out his set of spiked knuckles, which he fastened to his fists. Looking back at his opponent, he saw her drop into a fighting stance, her fists held in front of her as if ready to strike any moment.

"Hey, ki-"

"Natsue."

"Whatever. You got a sword and two guns, don't ya? Why ya fightin' with your fists?"

She just waved him off. "Does it matter? No weapon means easier win for you, doesn't it?"

The pirate shrugged. "You asked for it. And you'll pay for what you did to my men."

"Sure, sure." The young woman replied, though seemed to not be listening.

Bending her knees, she made a mad dash for the pirate leader. The pirate swung his fist, and to his surprise, made direct contact with the young woman's face, sending her flying across the bar and crashing into some tables and chairs. Strange... When his fist brushed against her... she felt... And it was then that he noticed the tail. "I get it now. The warm skin, the soft brown hair, the huge tits, the tail, and those whisker marks on your cheeks. You're a Minkman!"

The young woman got up from the mess of furniture, her face all bloody on the side she got hit with. Spitting out a wad of blood, she grinned and answered. "Ah, ya figured it out, huh?"

"Of course. Ya think I'm stupid?"

"Do ya really want me to answer that?"

The pirate ignored her. "But I thought Minkmen were supposed to have incredible speed, or somethin'. Why're you so slow?"

Natsue chuckled. "Well, I guess I can't hide it anymore."

The young woman bent her knees, breathing deep. With a dash, she took off running, disappearing out the door extremely quickly, but nowhere near the level of Soru or Shakushi. The pirate was confused for a moment. Did she just run away? Whatever. He was in the clear, anyhow. Minkmen may be the only race gifted with natural Super-Human Speed, but they weren't noted for their strength. No way would she be able to hurt his toughened musc-

"I'm back!"

His thoughts were cut off as he felt an enormously powerful strike to his gut. As he bent over from the pain, he saw the Minkman standing there, removing her fist from his stomach. Okay, that was weird. Did she come back? When he got his wind back, he looked around to see she was gone.

"Heh. She must have used her speed to land a stronger punch to my stomach. That whole velocity thing. No way she'll be able to do that again!" He turned around to see that she was standing behind him.

"Hi there!" she greeted. Bringing her arm back, the girl jumped up and socked him in the chest, which to the pirate's surprise, had enough force to send him tumbling across the bar.

"Surprised? Yep! As a Minkman, I've got natural Super-Human Speed. But I've also got Super-Human Strength! Pretty weird for a Minkman, huh?"

The Minkman ran over to the downed pirate, picked his large body up with one hand, and threw him across the room and out the door. Dashing back outside, she beat him there and gave him a kick to the stomach just as he was about to land. As he went flying upward from the blow, the Minkman jumped to meet him, giving him a double hammerfist strike to the back. He hit the ground hard, tumbling through the dirt. As he struggled to get up, the Minkman dashed over and kneed him in the face, knocking a few teeth out. The pirate managed to struggle to his feet, seeing that she was standing right in front of him.

"Give up yet?" she asked.

The pirate leader merely spat some blood to the ground, pulled his fist back, and shoved it forward. He was surprised to see the Minkman catch it, but satisfied to see the blood oozing from behind his fist.

"Crap. I forgot these things were spiked."

With his free hand, he brought his fist around for a sideway's blow, striking the Minkman in the side and sending her flying into the wall of a building, her jacket and shirt getting torn away from the spikes to reveal her bare right arm, shoulder, and breast. The pirate leader shook the clothing shreds off his knuckle, satisfied to see her struggling to get up with her useless and possibly broken right arm. "Ha ha! Don't think I'll let you die yet! I hear Minkmen fetch a pretty Beli in slave trading circles! You may not be the best lookin' broad, but you'd still do pretty well at an auction, I'd say."

Natsue managed to slump herself up against a wall, her good arm reaching around to hold her bloodied and broken arm, though doing so was hard due to the cumbersome mounds of flesh and fat between them. The pirate leader drew near, scraping his spiked knuckles together threateningly.

"Hey! Dirtbag!"

The pirate leader turned around to see Zeke standing in the doorway, panting, trembling, and holding his silver pole.

"Oh? And who you callin' a dirtbag, you dirt and rock guy?" The pirate began walking up to Zeke, going slowly so as to intimidate him. "Heh. You're a Logia-user. Shouldn't you be tougher? Your power is from the strongest Devil Fruit type. And yet here you are, trembling like a wimp. C'mon, let's see some of your power. Turn into dirt. Move some rocks. Do somethin'. Or are ya too scared? Why don't I just kill that bartender whore? Huh? Would that get your blood pumpin'?" The pirate noted Zeke's grip tighten when he mentioned the bartender. "Oh? Maybe killin' her ain't good enough? Why don't I smack her around a bit before I kill her? Ruin that pretty face. Would that work for ya?" He was pleased to see the boy's teeth clench and his face draw into a frown. "Nah. Ya can't pummel a quality chick like that. Oh, I know. I'm the dominating type. She looks pretty submissive. I'll just give her a good, old-fashioned, quality, wholesome, ever-satisfying, forceful ra-"

"YOU SHUT UP!!!"

Zeke let go of the pole, raising his arm.

"Hah! A punch? You couldn't even tickle me last time!" But the boy's arm turned to dirt, growing larger and larger, drawing up dirt from the ground. It grew to the size of the man, then larger. It eventually reached the size of a titan. Then it slowly hardened, solidifying from the dry powder of dirt to solid hard rock. The pirate looked up at the huge rock hand looming over him, and he said only one thing. "I'd like to see you tr-"

He was silenced as the rock fist was brought down on him, pounding him into the ground. Then another pound. Then another. Then another. Then another. By the time Zeke was finished, he was sweating and panting. His giant arm rapidly fell away, revealing his regular flesh one, albeit with his sleeve missing and torn at the shoulder.

Zeke bent over, his hands on his knees, breathing heavy. He had done it! He had won! But the sound of groaning caught his attention. He slowly looked up, afraid of what he would see. To his shock, the pirate struggled to his feet, spitting out some blood. "Wow! That actually got me really good! I think ya broke some of my ribs!" he groaned through clenched teeth. He struggled to his feet, readying his fists, though the spiked knuckles were somewhat damaged. "Now, I'll try to make this quick." He brought his fist back, but halted when he heard a melodic, but intense, female voice.

"I'll show you submissive!"

He was surprised to feel a bullet go right through his chest. He looked inside the bar to see the bartender standing there, holding her rifle. She crouched down to reveal the clam Fishman standing behind her, who shot a pearl cannonball from his cannon, which plowed into the pirate's stomach and sent him flying. And just in his path was the Minkman, who was now standing, albeit with her right arm hanging limply at her side. She pulled the sword from off her back to hold it with her left hand. The bandages fell off and into a pile at the ground, revealing the perfect double-edged blade.

"Finisher: Coup de Grace!"

The Minkman brought the sword forward, stabbing the pirate through the back as he reached her, the sword protruding from his chest. As the cannonball did not lose momentum, his lower half kept going, effectively breaking his spine. As he was about to scream in pain, a bullet went right through his forehead, shot from the sniper hiding in the distance.

Zeke ran over to the mysterious pirate captain who had shown up at the bar and saved his life. She had fallen to the ground, letting her sword and that pirate leader's body fall to the ground as well, lying on her back with her arms spread out, breathing heavily.

"Hey! Ms. Captain! Ms. Captain!" He kneeled down at her side, bowing. "Thank you so much! I don't know how I can ever repay you!"

The Minkman just chuckled, her entire body shaking from the forced laughs. Zeke's eyes were drawn to a particular part of her body, blood trickling from his nose upon seeing the effects the shaking had on that part.

"Don't worry about it, kid. I was happy to help"

"Oh, wait. You needed me, didn't you? Didn't you want my Log Pose?"

"Nah, it's fine kid." Natsue assured him, struggling to push herself into an upright position. "I can tell that that Log Pose means a lot to ya. We can't just take it from ya."

"Um... Thank you... But... I really think I owe y-" A long pause.

"What is it, kid?" the Minkman asked.

Blood oozed from Zeke's nose. "Just please, cover up or something!"

- - - - - - - - - -

The door closing with a gentle thump caught Zeke's attention just as he was about to doze off. He turned to see who walked in.

"Hey, you're that musician guy from before. Was it really you who was the sniper?"

The spectacled man with the violin case merely gazed down at the seated teenager with a look of disgust. "I have no need to explain myself to a pathetic excuse of a man such as you."

The spectacled man took a seat at the table, setting his violin case down close to his chair. He crossed his arms and stared out the window, a scowl on his face. Zeke was at first dumbfounded, but his mind caught up to him.

"Huh? What the hell is your problem?!"

The spectacled man bolted to his feet, glaring down at the seated teenager. His quiet rage had Zeke shaking in his seat. "I'll tell you what. You are a Logia-user. You have more power than any other Devil Fruit type. You should be strong. Yet your weakness caused the endangerment of a civilian bartender and the injury of my captain. You dare call yourself a man? Toughen up. If you hope to travel these seas, you must be strong."

Zeke stared, again dumbfounded. It took him longer to get his wits about him than before. "Hey! I did my best to protect Hallow and the bar!"

"Yes, and if we had not shown up, both of you would have been killed and your Log Pose stolen. Yes, they held the girl hostage, but even if you let them have their way and given them your Log Pose, they would have still killed you. You should've fought for your life, not curled up on the ground like a scolded dog."

"I know that!"

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because..." Zeke's fists clenched, his hand trembling, struggling to control the emotions flowing through him. "I... I'm not good at fighting... I... I couldn't have beaten them... I'm not... I'm not... strong..."

There was a silence. Though Zeke was looking downward at the table's surface, he could feel the man's glare on him. "Then you must be strong of spirit."

Zeke looked up. The man's scowl and glare were still on his face, and his words were harsh, but Zeke couldn't help but feel like he was... giving him advice.

"When one is not strong of body, they must be strong of spirit. Even if they cannot fight back, they must not back down. If one who is stronger than you is looming over you, do not let them know you are weaker than them. Stand your ground. Do not give in. Make them believe that they are the weak one, not you. And when the time for an actual confrontation arrives, do not fight fire with fire. You must find a way around the enemy's strengths and put your own strengths to use. If the enemy is a brute, devise a way to confuse him. If the enemy is fast, make the area unfit for movement. If the enemy is large, use his own size and weight against him. When faced with multiple foes, conserve your strength and use the enemies' own abilities against each other. And when facing a single opponent, pour your might into your assault. That is the way of the soldier."

"But... But I'm not a soldier..."

"Then you must be some other kind of combatant. You simply have not found what kind you are yet. Search and find what kind of combatant you are, and use the qualities of this type to your advantage. Be you a soldier, a fighter, a warrior, or an assassin. Realize your strengths, and use them to cover your weaknesses."

There was silence for a very long time, Zeke only staring into the glass of milk resting on the table, his mind mulling over the words this forceful man was dropping on him. After a seeming eternity of silence, the man spoke.

"So, I assume that my captain is recovering in the other room."

"Yeah." Zeke replied, too distracted to look at the man.

Without an answer, the man stood up and walked away, the sound of the door opening and closing being the last thing Zeke heard before he stood up and prepared for bed. Well, not exactly. The last thing he heard was the sound of a loud scream of "SHADSTEEEER!!!" soon after the door closed. Zeke couldn't help smiling, wondering how such a serious man came to serve such a spastic woman...

- - - - - - - - - -

It was morning about a week later. The sun was just climbing over the horizon, casting the sky in a bright shade of sunrise. The sailors and dockworkers, the ones who had to get up earliest for their days of labor, were already stirring about, longing for whatever it was they used to perk up in the morning. For Zeke, that whatever was milk.

"Hey, Loverboy. Looks like you found where I keep the milk."

Zeke turned in mid-sip, spotting Hallow standing at the stairway. Even after just waking up, she still looked stunning.

"Hey, Ms. Hallow." the teenager greeted.

The bartender just gave her enigmatic smile. "Loverboy, you know you've been through enough with me to just call me Hallow."

Zeke grinned, setting his mug of cow elixir on the table. "Yeah, but where's the fun in that?"

The bartender just shook her head, an elegant chuckle escaping her lips.

As the beautiful bartender went behind the counter to prepare for the day, Zeke's mind chose that moment to recall the fact that he planned to ask her something.

"Oh! Ah... Ms. Hallow! Is that pirate woman up yet?"

"Natsue? Yeah, she's up in her room. Why?"

"I just needed to talk to her. Can you watch my drink for me?"

The bartender just giggled. "Sure, Loverboy."

"Thanks!"

Zeke rushed up the stairs, the floorboards creaking under his bare feet, and soon came to the door where the pirate woman was staying. He opened the door and hastily walked in, but skid to an abrupt halt when a large, muscled white arm was shoved out in front of him to bar passage.

"It's okay, Baniaz. You can let him in."

The clam Fishman standing beside the door inside the room retracted his arm, crossing it with his other one before his chest, but Zeke caught the intense look he was giving him.

"Uh, not to be rude, but... what's with the bouncer?"

The Minkman just laughed loudly. "Baniaz just thinks he's my bodyguard. Even though he knows I can take care of myself."

She was sitting on the bare bed, polishing the blade of her sword. It probably got bloodied after stabbing that guy through the chest. Her jacket was hung on a rack by the door, and Zeke noted that her now bare arms also had a few small scars on them. Her boots were sitting by the side of her bed, and he could see that she had a few small scars on her feet and ankles, too.

"Uh, I was wondering..."

"Yeah, kid?"

"Wait, why are you calling me kid? I'm seventeen. You're at least nineteen, twenty-one at most. What, are Minkmen long-lived like Giants?"

The pirate captain just laughed again. "Sorry, force of habit. My dad always called me 'kid', and I guess I just kinda picked it up."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'll try to stop. Anyway, what'd ya need, Zeke?"

Despite the pirate woman's casual tone, Zeke stared down at his hands uncomfortably, fidgeting with his fingers. "Uh... You guys said you were looking for me when you first showed up at the bar."

"Yeah. Why?"

"You wanted my Log Pose too, right?"

"Well, yeah, we heard a guy named Zeke in this town had a Log Pose, and my crew hopes to travel the Grand Line. Why?"

Zeke took a deep breath to ready himself. "You can have my Log Pose, if you want. Really."

The pirate woman paused in the polishing of her sword's blade, sitting completely motionless. Zeke's breath caught in his throat.

"Nah. We can tell from how ya didn't wanna give it to those guys that it means a lot to ya. We'll find a Log Pose some other way. You don't worry about a thing, Zeke."

Zeke knew she would say no, and he prepared for it. "Oh... Then, can I make a request?"

Natsue eyed him warily. "What kind of request?"

"Just a way to repay you for saving me and Ms. Hallow's lives."

"Well, okay, so long as you don't give us your Log Pose."

Zeke's heart was pounding in his chest. This was the biggest request he had ever asked anyone in his life.

"I... I want you to take me with you."

His breath once again caught in his throat as the pirate woman again paused, frozen still. "Pardon?"

"I... I want you to take me with you!" Zeke was shouting now, though he wasn't intending to be so loud. "I'm... I'm an excellent navigator! I can chart a course through a hurricane if I have to! You need my Log Pose, but you also need someone who can use it! I've got countless charts and maps with me, and my sense of direction is so good that I think I might have an internal compass! I'm not that good with fighting, but I'm a Logia-user! With training, I'm sure I can-"

"Shut up."

"Whuh?"

"Just shut up."

Zeke was shocked. His eyes widened, the feeling of a weight dropped on him.

"You're right. We need a Log Pose. And you're right. We need a navigator."

Zeke gazed at the pirate woman with wide eyes, his entire body shaking. "You mean?"

Natsue's serious face shifted into a warm smile, much different from her usual grins. "Welcome to the crew, Zeke."

Zeke was about to fall to the ground and thank the pirate woman, when the door was thrown open.

"Ah, Shadster. You're here."

Zeke whirled around, only to have his entire body lock up at the sight of the intimidating man at the door.

"I think it's time you were fully introduced to the crew you'll be travelling with. I'm Natsue. Bronwen Natsue. The captain of this crew."

She gestured over to the clam Fishman standing against the wall by the door, his arms crossed over his muscled chest. "That big guy over there is Baniaz, and he's our gunner, marksman, sniper, whatever ya wanna call it. We prefer gunner, since he specializes in heavy duty artillery like cannons."

The large white cat Zeke remembered from when the crew first entered the bar hopped up onto Natsue's lap and began rubbing its head against her ample bosom. "This little guy here is Fluffers. He's our feline crew member. Hunts the mice, provides us with amusement and kitty affection." The MInkman's ungloved hand took to rubbing and scratching the large cat's back, eliciting a storm of purrs. With her other hand, she gestured to the intimidating man at the door, glaring at Zeke in a way that made him want to head for the hills. "And that's my first mate, Shad-"

"It's Shadow. My name is Shadow."

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "Shadow? Is that your real name?"

The man just intensified his glare. "Why? Is something wrong with it?"

Zeke just smiled. "No. It's just that it's... a really cliched name."

The man stomped forward, toting his violin case in one hand and his other hand in his trench coat pocket, coming to stand right in front of the teenager and gaze down on him with a chilling aura. "Oh? And what is your name and place in this crew?"

Zeke gulped. "I'm... Frost Zeke. I'm the navigator..."

"Hm... Sally, huh? Well, Sally, I am the first mate, and thus I outrank you. You best do what I say, and you best keep up with the rest of us, or we will waste no time in throwing you overboard. Got it, Sally?"

"Uh... Sally?"

"Yes, Sally. If you are to behave like a weak little girl, I will give you a weak little girl's name. Now I expect you to meet all of us at the ship in one hour after you have gathered your belongings and said your goodbyes. If you are late, we will head off without you. So be on time, Beatrice."

"B... Beatrice?"

The glare was now so harsh that Zeke felt himself quaking. "Would you prefer Susan? Brittany? Ashley? No? Then I expect you not to complain when I take the liberty of choosing a different name for a little girl such as you. Now if you will excuse me, I must check my belongings before we set sail."

The intimidating man elegantly spun around and stepped out the door, the clam Fishman following soon after in silence. Zeke could only let out a sigh of relief as the first mate left. With him on the ship, this would be a rough adventure for him...

"Hey..."

The navigator jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see his Minkman captain standing there, a grin on her face. "Don't worry about Shadster. He's okay once ya get to know him. Really, I'd be lost without the guy. I'm sure you'll be a big help on our ship, since none of us can navigate worth jack. Now ya better hurry and pack your stuff. Don't forget to say goodbye to Hallow before ya go."

Natsue stepped forward to the door, but paused to look over her shoulder. "Oh yeah... One more thing..." she winked. "Welcome to the crew."

- - - - - - - - - -

That was the beginning of a part of my life that felt as brief as the twinkle of a star, yet as long as an eternity. I wasn't aware of exactly what my joining these pirates would lead to at the time. I was clueless as to exactly who these people were, their pasts, their futures, and their thoughts. I wasn't even aware of all the people we would meet, and the way we would affect their lives. But having gone through it all, and knowing what happens in the infinite moment of that eternal star twinkle, I can honestly say that if I were given the option to choose again, I...

Well... You'll just have to read and find out. Read my story. Our story. The story of more than pirates...

The story of Outlaws...


End file.
